Saltwater Tears
by imaginethatt
Summary: Mermaid Ariel met Peter Pan and they shared their secrets, falling in love as they did so. When Ariel and Peter are separated and Ariel meets a human prince named Eric, she must choose between her love for Peter and her love for Eric. Rated T just in case
1. Rebellious

**A/N: This is the first chapter of my Peter Pan/Ariel crossover. I'm planning somewhere from 20-25 chapters (maybe more, maybe less). I would like to thank all the people who read, reviewed, or PM'ed me about my Percy/Annabeth one-shot. You guys are awesome, and you continue to inspire me to write! Love you all!**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners**

Chapter One- Rebellious

"Ariel, I just don't know what I'm going to do with you!" King Triton said. "How many times must I tell you? You must never go up to the surface-it's dangerous. You could have been seen by one of those barbaric humans!"

"Daddy! They're not barbaric!" exclaimed Ariel, a fiery, red-haired mermaid. Her tiny form was quaking with anger and her blue eyes flashed dangerously.

"Ariel! How can you say humans aren't barbaric when they were the ones that killed your own mother? You are forbidden to return to the surface, and if I ever hear of you disobeying my orders. . . so help me Ariel!"

The little mermaid quivered as her eyes filled with tears and her jaw started to tremble. She balled her hands into fists and quickly turned, her green tail flashing briefly before she darted out of father's throne room.

"Do you think I was too hard, Sebastian?" the king asked, turning to his most trusted advisor, a crab.

"No, you High-nees. Eet iz her nat-rool inst-eenct to be curious about de hyoo-mans. Eet iz in her blood after all, Sire" the crustacean replied.

"I know, Sebastian. That's why I must shelter her from the human world. It is too dangerous if she finds out what she is capable of. Her powers are enough to alter the course of the world, both mer-folk and human.

* * *

After swimming out of her father's grand throne room, Ariel swam towards the servant's quarters, which was located in the back of the castle. She looked around to make sure no one was watching before she darted down a corridor. When she reached the end of the passageway, she opened a door and quietly slipped outside.

Ariel sighed in relief and swam past the colorful coral and other various types if sea-plants that made up the palace gardens. When she reached the looming, golden gates that surrounded the castle, Ariel checked in both directions, her eyes scanning the water for patrol guards. When she could find none, she swam over the top of the gates.

She swam as fast as she could until the palace became a tiny, golden dot behind her. Slowing down, Ariel looked around her. There were various types of colorful coral, with purple and blue sea anemones attached to them. Fish darted in and out of the green and red seaweed, and orange starfish clung to the grey rocks. A large oyster opened its mouth to reveal a small, white pearl.

After swimming for about a mile or so, Ariel stopped at a cluster of rocks. Using all of her strength, she pushed a small boulder out of the way. Behind the rock was a hidden cavern. It was filled with treasures from the human world. Ariel loved to explore sunken ships and collect bits and pieces. It connected her with the human world and flamed her burning desire to know more about these strange creatures. Ariel kept her many treasures in the cavern, for fear her father would discover them.

Ariel swam to the back of the circular room and moved aside a ship's compass, a box of silverware, and a painting of a sunset. Tucked inside a crevice was a small wooden chest with a strong metal lock. Once while poking around the castle's attic, Ariel had found it hiding beneath a kelp basket.

Ariel moved the chest to a large, flat rock that dominated the sand floor of the circular cavern. Light filtered in from an opening at the top of the tall room, and bathed everything in a heavenly glow.

Ariel removed her necklace- a small, bronze key that hung from a chain on her neck. The necklace had been her mother's, and Ariel salvaged it after her mother's death, not knowing that it actually opened something.

Sliding the small key off the chain, Ariel slipped it into the lock on the chest. Both the chest and key had "ALR" engraved on them. The letters represented Ariel's mother's maiden name, Athena Lorena Rainier.

Ariel felt the key turn and the lock click as it came undone. She lifted the lid of the chest and removed three items: a black and white photograph, a small leather diary, and a piece of rose colored material. All of the articles were incased in plastic covering, and the pages of the journal had individually been coated in a hard, clear sealant.

Ariel laid the three items side by side on the rock. She gazed at the photograph. It showed her mother as a teenager, her long, red hair in a braid that curled around her shoulder and her freckles lightly dotting her nose and cheeks like an exotic spice. She was smiling a beautiful smile, her white teeth seeming to sparkle.

Next, Ariel picked up the diary and opened it to a well-worn page. She read the entry, dated years ago, to when her mother was twenty two.

"_Today is my last day as a human_," it started. "_Tomorrow, I shall be joining Triton in his underwater kingdom as a mermaid. Not only will I be a mermaid, but I will be the queen! My transformation is tonight, and my wedding and coronation are tomorrow. Who would have thought that a poor, orphaned girl like me would one day end up being a mer-queen?"_

_"I am nervous for my transformation. I hope it doesn't hurt _too_ much. Triton has also warned me that once I am a mermaid, I will never be able to change back to a human. But I love him with all my heart and I want to do this for him _and_ for myself. I'm worried though- being human is all I have ever known!"_

Ariel closed the diary, put the journal and the photograph in the trunk, locked it, and grabbed the key. She swam out of the cavern with the pink material pressed against her chest.

"See Mom? Everyone has their secrets. Even you," Ariel said as she swam towards the surface.

* * *

**Haha a little cliff-hanger. I am working on chapter two, but it might be a while before it's posted. I am on vacation and it is hard to post new chapters and stories. Thanks so much for reading and make sure to check back! By the way, Ariel will meet Peter in the next chapter. I was also hoping somebody might be able to explain to me how to post new chapters to existing stories. I don't really understand how they describe it on fanfiction, but I can try to see if I can figure it out.**

**Love, imaginathatt**


	2. Meeting

**A/N: Thanks to ****twilightlover4evr**** and ****lil Serena**** for reviewing my first chapter. Also, a HUGE thanks to ****Anna145**** for not just giving me awesome advice, but for being a great friend! This second chapter wouldn't have been posted if not for her support and enthusiasm. **

Chapter 2-Meeting

The closer Ariel got to the surface, the lighter it got. She broke the water headfirst, and with her eyes closed, red painting the insides of her eyelids. Squinting as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she swam over to a small island. It was about fifty yards in diameter, and was covered in soft white sand. It was deserted except for three palm trees in the center of the island, growing at rather odd angles.

Ariel threw the pink material up onto the beach, and then wiggled up the sand and out of the water's reach. Lying back with her arms splayed on either side of her, Ariel closed her eyes. She could feel the sun's golden rays wrapping around her, engulfing her in a blanket of warmth. When she was completely dry, Ariel felt her tail begin to tingle. A smile crept up upon her lips as she took a deep breath. The tingling sensation began to intensify, and then suddenly stopped. Ariel opened her eyes and sat up. Instead of a tail, she now had legs.

Ariel stood up, a little bit wobbly, and picked up the pink materiel. Slipping it out of its casement, she pulled it over her head. It was a pink, short sleeved dress, tight until her waist where it bobbed out. It ended just above her knees and had a scooped neckline. Ariel had to admit-her mother had good fashion sense.

Ariel started to walk around on the beach, her legs shaking. It felt so different to walk than to swim. Ariel stood still, swaying, as if the currents were still pulling on her.

She sat down in the shade of the palm trees and rested her back against one of the thick, rough trunks. Ariel sighed deeply and picked at the rough bark.

She was ready for a change. Ariel was tired of being an outcast. She was different, and she knew it. She didn't really fit in with anyone, even her sisters, although she loved them. People were wary and cautious of her; she wondered if this had anything to do with the fact that she was a princess. But, thinking of her sisters, she knew this wasn't true. Her sisters had tons of friends-and boyfriends, even if all of them were shallow and boring.

No, what Ariel needed was a friend who was a different and unique as she was. Someone who understood what it felt like to feel personally responsible for-

CRASH!

Ariel barely had time to look up at the falling palm frond before something landed on her.

"What the-" Ariel sputtered. She was flat on her back, something heavy on top of her. She looked up to find a pair of the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen staring down at her from underneath a lock of copper-orange hair.

"Who are you?" a freckle faced, snub-nosed boy asked.

"A-Ariel" she replied, still slightly shocked. "Who are you?"

The boy leapt lightly up, but oddly enough, he remained suspended in air. His orange hair was messy, with bits of leaves and twigs stuck in it, and his tan shirt and green shorts had definitely seen better days. "I'm Peter Pan" he said, doing a flip in midair.

"Umm . . . Hello" Ariel replied. She wondered if she was having a delusional moment-boys did not simple _fly_ around. Maybe she had hit her head on a rock or a coconut had fell out of a palm tree conked her. "What are you doing here?"

"I stopped to rest in one of those trees, but as soon as I got here, I noticed you sitting in the shade, so I tried to be as quiet as I could. 'Cept it didn't really work, 'cause when I shifted on the branch, it snapped and I fell."

Ariel supposed she should question him further. What he was doing here, where he was going, where he came from, but all she could do was stare at him, dumbfounded.

"How do you _do_ that?" she asked in amazement, her eyes following Peter as he zigzagged about in the air.

"Oh, this?" he said. "It's easy. Come on, I'll show you!"

"Well, I don't know. . . " Ariel said hesitantly.

"What do you have to loose?" Peter asked

_My sanity. Possibly some limbs. MY LIFE! _Ariel thought, although she didn't say this out loud to Peter.

"Aw, come on" he encouraged. "Anybody can do it. Don't you ever just want to break out of your element and try a new one? You know, experience some freedom?"

_He has a point_, Ariel thought. _I can't spend my time as a human just sitting on this damn beach doing nothing. If I'm too scared to try flying, how will I ever be able to work up the courage to venture into the human world?_

Peter put two fingers to his mouth and whistled a long, shrill whistle. Out of the distance came a small, glowing spark. Ariel watched as it got bigger and bigger, until the spark became a tiny, luminescent fairy. Her green dress shimmered and her blonde pony tail swayed from side to side as she sashayed back and forth, her pearlescent wings sparkling like drops of dew.

"Meet Tinkerbell" Peter said. "Tink, this is Ariel."

Tinkerbell looked disdainfully at Ariel, and then turned up her nose. She emitted a series of bell noises.

Peter blushed. "Come on Tink, she's not that bad."

Ariel cleared her throat. "I'm feeling like an inanimate object" she said. "Aren't you going to teach me how to fly?"

Peter took a small, brown leather pouch out of one of his pockets. Pulling open the worn drawstrings, his face was suddenly bathed in a golden light. He reached his hand inside and took out a small pinch of the glowing stuff. He flew over to Ariel and sprinkled the dust on her. Ariel was immediately filled with a warm, weightlessness feeling. All together it felt rather pleasant, like lying in the sun.

"Now," Peter said, taking Ariel's hand. "Think of a happy thought. Something that makes you really feel alive."

Ariel closed her eyes, and pictured herself sitting on her mother's lap.

_Oh the waves roll low_

_And the waves roll high_

_And so it goes_

_Under a bright, blue _

_Endless sky_

_Waves try to measure_

_The days that we treasure_

_Wave hello_

_And wave _

_Goodbye_

Hearing her mother's familiar lullaby brought a smile to Ariel's face, and she felt herself begin to rise. She opened her eyes to see that she was ten feet off the ground!

"Now, to turn, lean towards where you want to go," Peter said as he gently tugged her hand and pulled her to the left. Ariel laughed a sound of pure joy. Flying felt amazing! The blue sky was all around her, and a cool breeze whipped her hair out behind her. Ariel had never felt this free before. They flew through clouds and raced a seagull, going faster and faster. She looked down to see the ocean glinting below her, and her island a tiny dot among the waves. They soared high up into the air, and then swooped down towards the water. Everything was going great, until Ariel felt some drops of water on her face.

All of a sudden there was a huge splash. Peter looked down to find Ariel floating in the water, her pink dress billowing around her, and a green tail coming out from underneath her dress. Ariel's eyes were opened in fear, waiting for Peter's reaction.

"You're a- a mermaid?" he asked stupidly.

"I can explain. When I become completely dry, I change into a human, but as a soon as water touches me or the sun sets, I change back into a mermaid." Ariel quickly reasoned.

Peter laughed. "Cool" he said.

"You're not mad or repulsed?" Ariel asked, shocked that he did not seem fazed.

Peter laughed again. "Of course not!" he said. "I've seen tons of mermaids before, but none are as fun or as intriguing as you. None of the mermaids I know can change forms."

Ariel looked at him speculatively. How would he have ever seen mermaids? Mer-folk made sure that no humans ever saw them, for it would put their entire race into danger.

Looking at the sky, Ariel saw that the sun had traveled to the opposite side of the sky. She didn't realize how long she had been up at the surface.

"I need to go before my father gets suspicious" Ariel said.

Peter looked panicked, "But when can I see you again?" he asked.

"Meet me here at the same time we met today" Ariel said as she started to take off her dress.

Peter blushed as Ariel started to lift up her dress.

"Don't worry" she said. "I have my seashells on under this."

And with that, she swam away.

**Thank you so much for reading the second chapter. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! I have been so busy with registration stuff for high school. Please review and tell me what you thought. I would also love to hear any ideas you might have about the types of adventures Ariel and Peter have in Neverland.**

**Love,**

**imaginethatt**


	3. Neverland

**A/N: Alright, I just finished the fourth **_**Peter and the Starcatchers**_** book (great series by the way-I highly recommend it) and I am feeling inspired to write. Something really creepy happened though. I was on and looked at the current news, and read a story about 2 babies who died in the 1930's. They were wrapped in newspaper and locked away in a trunk. Also in the trunk were a Peter Pan book and a Peter Pan club membership. The trunk belonged to a Ms. Jean M. Barrie (Peter Pan was written by James M. Barrie) and was found in an apartment building storage room in California. Nobody knows who the woman is. I just found it kind of ironic and cool, if that makes any sense. Anyways, here's the third chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I forgot to put this on the second chapter, but anyways. . . I own nothing. All characters belong to their rightful owners**

Chapter 3- Neverland

Ariel was surprised how quickly she and Peter became best friends.

They spent every moment together when Ariel could get away from the palace. Peter had given Ariel a magic whistle whihc made a barely audible sound that only the two of them could hear, but the sound could reach each other no matter where they were. Ariel had delightfully added this onto the chain her key hung from, and used it to summon Peter to their island.

"I want to take you to Neverland" Peter said one morning. They were sitting in the shade of the palms, trying to avoid the ever-growing temperature of the sun.

Ariel hugged her knees to her chest. Peter had told her all about his home on Neverland, which was a magical island in the middle of the ocean. She knew all about his band of boys, the Indians, the mermaids in Mermaid Lagoon, and of Captain Hook, Peter's ach-enemy. The only thing that bothered Ariel was how Peter had found Neverland. He was always distant and wary whenever she asked him about his past. At first she was disappointed, but then again she never talked about her childhood either. Maybe someday they would discuss it together. . .

"So what'd yah say?" Peter asked, breaking Ariel out of her reverie.

Ariel thought about it. She desperately wanted to see Neverland, but it was risky. Her father thought she had gone treasure hunting, but she knew he suspected she would be home for hours.

"All right" she said. "Just as long as I'm back before nightfall"

Peter hopped up gleefully and turned a cartwheel in the air. "YES!" he shouted.

Ariel laughed at his enthusiasm as she stood up, brushing the sand off of the back of her dress.

Peter was already fifteen feet in the air, hovering over Ariel.

"Hurry up, slowpoke!" he shouted. Ariel laughed again and launched herself up into the air. Peter's magic dust hadn't worn off; neither of them could figure out why. Peter had explained that it would enable someone to fly for about an hour before they needed more. It had been weeks and Ariel could still fly, despite the fact that she had been swimming. Whatever the reason, Ariel was glad it hadn't worn off.-she was almost as good of a flier as Peter was.

They flew side by side for roughly an hour before Ariel spotted a dark spot on the horizon. As they neared it, Ariel watched it take the form of an island. Ariel gasped when she saw the island. It was beautiful! The island was covered in lush, green forest with sloping hills and mountains. To the left was the Indian village which was built on a rocky cliff. To the right was Mermaid Lagoon and in the front of the island was a cove area that had a big pirate ship anchored in the center.

Peter and Ariel started to descend into the silence. The quiet was suddenly shattered by a loud explosion. Ariel shrieked as Peter pulled her out of the path of the giant cannon ball.

"PAN! I'LL GET YOU, YOU LITTLE-"

The rest of Captain Hook's shout was drowned out by a second explosion. The cannon ball narrowly missed them again. Peter grabbed Ariel's had the two of them flew as fast as they possibly could. They streaked past the ship and into the forest. They came to a stop and laughed as they gasped and tried to catch their breath.

"Are you all right?" Peter asked worriedly.

This brought around another of hysteria from Ariel. Ariel's laugh was contagious, and soon Peter was chuckling too.

"Are you kidding me?" Ariel said in between giggles. "That was the most fun I've had in a long time. The only excitement around the castle is when I steal my sister's hairbrushes!" Ariel giggled again,

"Alright, I think that's enough of an adrenaline rush for one day" Peter said. "Come on" he said, gesturing towards the path they were on. They started to run down the trail together, hands intertwined.

* * *

They stopped when they reached a tree. It was about the same height as the surrounding trees, but it was a little fatter than the others. It had a few vines growing on it and stumps where branches had been cut off. Peter led Ariel to one of the bigger stumps, and rapped three times on the top of it. It slowly swung open to reveal a slide.

Peter slid down, and Ariel followed close behind him. He yelped as she landed on top of him. Ariel looked around the room. It had a sandy floor and brown colored walls. It was a large circular room that had been dug underneath the ground. Hammocks hung from thick roots that were poking through the walls. There were three openings: one led to some sort a kitchen, one led to a separate bedroom, and one led to an underground spring.

After they untangled themselves, Peter whistled a long, loud whistle.

Ariel heard a lot of thumping and yelling, and into the room burst six wild boys.

"Boys, meet Ariel" said Peter. "That's Slightly," said Peter as he pointed out one of the boys, "Cubby, Nibs, Tootles, and the twins." He pointed to each of the boys in turn.

"Hello," Ariel said. The littlest boy, Tootles came up to her. He looked to be about five, and was wearing scruffy clothes. He had a smattering of freckles across his nose. He tugged on Ariel's hand.

"Hello," she said softly.

The boy said nothing, but he reached out a grimy hand and touched Ariel's red barrel curls.

"Hey guys, let's show Ariel the island!" shouted Cubby, a chubby boy with light brown hair.

"Yeah!" shouted all of the boys. Ariel laughed as Tootles and one of the twins grabbed her hands and led her out of the hideout. They spent the rest of the day visiting some of the boys' favorite spots on the island, and played a small game of hide-and-go-seek.

Towards the end of the day, Ariel looked up at the sky, which was starting to turn pink and orange.

"Oh no! Peter, I have to go." She said, alarmed. It would be dark soon, and then she would transform back into a mermaid.

"Let's go then," Peter said.

"I think I'll swim back," Ariel said. "It's much faster than flying."

"Okay. Do you want to meet at your island tomorrow morning?" Peter asked, his face hopeful.

"I'm sorry," she said, biting her bottom lip. "I can't. I'm helping my dad with a diplomatic meeting. I wish I could. I'll whistle for you when I can manage to get away."

Ariel saw Peter's face fall ever so slightly, and then she turned away. She walked down the path to the beach. When she got there, the two friends said their goodbyes, and then Ariel dove into the water and swam home.

**Finally I posted the third chapter! My goal is to get five chapters posted before school starts on September 7****th****. Keep the reviews coming, and I would love suggestions as to what adventures Ariel, Peter, and the boys have on the island.**

**Love,**

**imaginethatt**


	4. Mermaid Lagoon

**A/N: So, so, so sorry for the long wait. Life has been so hectic between volleyball, high school registration, and having a severe case of writer's block. Anyways, I hope you like chapter four!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah, blah, blah. . . All characters belong to, blah blah, blah. . . Now on with the show!**

Chapter Four- Mermaid Lagoon

"Gotcha!"

Ariel shrieked as Peter swooped down and grabbed her waist. Her long, red hair had small twigs and leaves caught in it, and her face was red and sweaty from their game of hide-and-seek.

Ariel crawled out of her hiding spot and flopped on her ground, panting heavily. Peter landed gracefully next to her, and sat cross legged by her head, crunching the leaves beneath him.

"God, I'm exhausted," Ariel said, stretching her arms above her head.

"Wanna go swimming?" Peter asked, cocking his head to one side.

Ariel thought for a moment. She was hot and sweaty. She could almost feel the cool water slipping over her head, and her powerful tail propelling her through the water. Plus, swimming was practically the only thing she could beat Peter at.

"Sure," she said, hoisting herself up off the dirt. They took off and were soon flying over the trees.

"Where are we going?" Ariel asked.

Peter smiled a devilish grin. "Surprise," he said, and started to fly a little faster.

Ariel laughed and sped up. Soon enough, the two were racing over the green tree tops. They were neck and neck when Peter suddenly stopped. "Here," he said.

Ariel wheeled around, nearly slamming into a tree trunk. She slowly made her way over to Peter. The two of them hovered in the air, and Ariel finally looked around. She saw a small cove with a waterfall cascading into it. There were rocks scattered in the water, their mossy tops poking out of the water. Sitting on the rocks and swimming in the water was a small group of mermaids.

"Come on," Peter said, gently taking her hand. Ariel's heart quickened. They flew to the largest rock, which was flat and soft with moss.

The three mermaids caught sight of Peter. "Peter! Peter!" they called out.

"Hey girls!" Peter said.

The mermaids swam up, speculatively looking at Peter and Ariel's intertwined hands. One had dark hair, one light, and one caramel colored.

"Who's she?" a brunette mermaid with a dark purple tail asked.

"Oh that's Ariel," Peter said, quickly jerking his hand free from Ariel's. Ariel glanced away, wondering why that move had hurt so much, almost like a slap in the face. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she rapidly blinked them back.

"What's she doing here?" the brunette asked, rather rudely.

"We came to go swimming," Peter said.

"Well why don't you get in?" the mermaid asked. She scooped up a handful of water and threw it at Ariel. Ariel, suspecting as much from the jealous girl, stopped it in midair. She controlled it with her mind, and then tossed it back at the mermaid. It hovered over her for a second, and then doused the girl in the face. The brunette shrieked and fell off the rock and into the water, landing with an ungraceful splash.

When the mermaid surfaced again, Ariel said loudly "I think I will get in," and dove into the cool water. Ariel felt her legs start to tingle and morph into one, the water swirling around her. _Bitch_, Ariel said in her head and smiled, recalling the mermaid's shocked look when Ariel had doused her. Oh, sweet revenge.

She broke the surface to find three dumbfound mermaids staring at her, while Peter had an amused grin on his face. Ariel winked at him.

"Holy shit!" said the mermaid with the long, straight caramel colored hair. She pushed herself of the rock and swam over to Ariel. "How the hell do you do that?"

Ariel smiled. She had a feeling she was going to like this girl.

"I don't know," Ariel said. "I just do."

The mermaid looked up at Ariel with a look of awe and humor. "I'm Piper," she said. "That's Nyree with the pink tail," Piper pointed to the blonde mermaid, and Nyree waved back. "And that's Mirabelle," Piper pointed to the mermaid with them purple tail, but she simply huffed, crossed her arms, and turned away. Ariel tried not to laughed, but ended up snorting. At that, Piper had to chuckle too.

"Mirabelle's just jealous of you- she's had a crush on Peter for _ages_," Piper said, rolling her eyes.

Ariel felt sort of smug. She was the one Peter payed attention to, even now. He was watching her closely, while Mirabelle was by his side, vainly trying to get his attention.

"She's like a barnacle, always hanging on to him when he visits," Piper said. "Quite frankly, it's getting old-no scratch that. It got old a long time ago."

Ariel felt. . . jealous. Mirabelle had obviously known Peter for a long time, much longer than Ariel had known him. However, at that moment, Peter flew over to where Ariel was, and with a war whoop, dove into the water. She laughed, mostly at Peter, but also at the look of rage on Mirabelle's face.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent at Mermaid Lagoon. More mermaids appeared and disappeared, but Piper stayed all day with Ariel and Peter. Peter entertained them with stories of his heroic bravery against Captain Hook, to which the girls listened to entranced. When the sun was starting to set, Ariel swam out of the lagoon and, with words of caution from Peter, slipped by the pirates' ship. Ariel shivered when she met the open sea. The water around the island was so warm and soft; out in the middle of the ocean, the water was cold and choppy.

Ariel swam home as quickly as she could, cursing under her breath about the sunset. Everyday with Peter was so magical, so simple. For a few hours, she could forget all of her troubles and just. . . escape. But, come sunset, reality would sink back in, and she would start to feel alone again.

**Sorry this was kind of short. I'm still having writer's block. The action will pick up in these next few chapters. If you guys have any ideas for my story, I would love to hear your suggestions!**

**Love,  
****imaginethatt/ Kathleen :)**


	5. Sword Fights and Nightmares

**A/N: I sit here in my tank top and Mickey Mouse pajama pants, my hair thrown in a messy up-do , and my brain starting to work faster and faster. My writer's block has been killer these past days. It's been horrible. I can't write and I can't draw, and I'm so stressed because of it. I'm not sure if I'm completely over it, but I'm going to stay up late and try. It seems to me that my creative juices are always flowing best when it's late and I'm high off of my own exhaustion. My goal is to have five chapters published before I go back to school on the 8th, so I have to get this done. Hopefully, this will be a good chapter considering the fact that I've been on a mental vacation. Anyway, that's enough from me. Enjoy!**

**P.S.- The last chapters have been mainly focused on Ariel. These next few chapters are going to develop Peter's personality.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Chapter Five- Sword Fights and Nightmares

* * *

"Now!"

Peter watched as Ariel lunged forward, her red hair streaming around her and her brow furrowed in concentration. She attacked him head on, but Peter artfully leapt to his left, Ariel's dagger missing him by a mile. She stumbled as her momentum carried her forward and suddenly Peter was behind her, his knife at her throat.

"Dammit!" Ariel cursed.

Peter chuckled. "You're being too bold when you attack," he said. "The object is to be subtle and slowly work your way in until you have the perfect spot to stab."

"'Kay," Ariel said. "I think I understand."

"Good. Then let's try again."

They started a respectable distance away from each other, and on Peter's cue, they approached one another. Ariel paused for second, calculating. She subtly but aggressively faked to the left, and then took one hard step to the right. Peter fell for her trick and was off balance when she turned and was behind him. He didn't have the time to turn around before he felt the cool metal pressed against his neck.

"Gotcha," Ariel said, smirking. Peter suddenly became hyper-aware of Ariel's arms around him. He stepped back quickly and saw Ariel's face fall ever so slightly. He cleared his throat.

"Good job," he said. "But I was going easy on you so you could win." He puffed out his chest and put his fists on his hips. Ariel just punched him in the gut.

"Liar," she said as he fell to the ground and pretended to die, writhing around for dramatic effect. She laughed and held out her hand to help Peter up. Ariel saw a devilish look flash across face, but it was too late. Quick as a cat, he pulled her down. She yelped as she fell on top of him and had the wind knocked out of her. He stared to laugh at her shocked expression as she tried to catch her breath. They both sat upright and dusted themselves off.

"Now, we're even," Peter said.

* * *

They practiced their sword fighting skills for the rest of the morning. Peter joked that Ariel was almost ready to take on the pirates. Peter could tell that she wanted to. He couldn't wait to see the look on Hook's face when he got his ass kicked by a girl. They stopped midday for a lunch of coconut milk and, Ariel's favorite, mangoes. They went over to the mermaid lagoon and swam with Piper. But, sunset came once again and Ariel was forced to return to reality.

* * *

Ariel sighed as the back door to the castle's servant quarter's closed. It was already dark under the sea, although Ariel knew there was still some light above water. She snuck down the hall and into the main rooms of the palace. The light from the luminescent peals torches cast a soft, heavenly glow on the polished white shell floors.

She tried to slip quietly into her room, but her sisters were all over her as soon as she swam in.

"Where were you?" Arista demanded.

"Yeah," Alana said. "We haven't see you all day. Daddy was worried."

"I was, umm, out exploring the, erm, coral reefs outside the palace."

"Yeah right. You were out meeting a boyyy," Aquata sang.

"Was not," Ariel said, blushing furiously.

"Yes you were," Aquata said. "Just look at how red your face is."

"Whatever," Ariel said, stalking to the window. She sat on the edge and stared furiously out of the window, trying to ignore the squeals and questions from her sisters.

* * *

That night as Ariel laid awake in her bed and listed to the sound of her sisters' steady breathing, she grew nervous about her sister's questions. What if it had been her father who had questioned her. What if he found out? What would happen to her? He would probably kill her. With her mind racing at million hours for so long, she finally crashed and fell into a deep sleep.

Ariel saw her mother sitting on rock, her red hair glistening in the sun. Ariel heard herself call to her mother and watched as her mother smiled one of her wonderful mother-smiles. So bright and cheery, not worried about anything on that bright blue day. Ariel watched as her six-year-old self swam to her mom and turned a flip for her. Her mother clapped and cheered in excitement. Ariel always coveted those special moments when she had he mother's full and undivided attention.

Little Ariel climbed up onto the rock when her mother looked away from her. Ariel was angry: why wouldn't mommy pay attention to her? Impatiently, Ariel waved her hand in front of her mother, but Athena still didn't look at her. Ariel glanced up to see what her mother was staring at in horror.

Little Ariel screamed in terror; the big wooden ship was drawing closer and closer as it headed towards her and her mother. Her father heard Ariel's scream and looked at what her chubby finger was pointing to. He shoved her sisters into the water and told them to swim as far down as they could. He yelled to Athena and Ariel to move. Ariel tried to obey, but as soon as she started to moved, a big rock fell on her tail and pinned her down.

"Mommy!" Ariel screamed, tears streaming down her face as she watched the big ship sail closer and closer. Athena used all her strength to pull the rock off of Ariel. Ariel was free, but she stayed frozen in shock as the ship loomed over her. Athena pushed Ariel into the water, and the last thing Ariel heard before she woke up was the sickening crunch of the boat crashing into the rocks and into her mommy.

* * *

**Well, I'm actually not as disappointed with this chapter as I though I might be. I think I'm almost over my writer's block. I'm sorry this chapter was so short. I think I'm going to update once every week or maybe two when school starts, depending on how busy I am.**

**Love,  
****imaginethatt/ Kathleen :)**


	6. Fire

**A/N: Busy, busy, busy! As I said in my chapter five, these next few chapters are going to develop Peter's personality. This chapter is purely Peter's point of view, so it should be interesting to see what he thinks of Ariel.**

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

**Chapter Six- Fire**

* * *

Sitting around the Indians' campfire one night, Peter realized how much he liked Ariel.

It was her first time visiting the natives durning a celebration, and she was loving it. It was their monthly full moon celebration, and their celebration involved lots of singing, dancing, and chants. The celebration was now in full swing. Peter watched as Ariel danced around the fire with the chief's daughter, Tiger Lily. Ariel's face had two turquoise lines on each of her cheeks, and she had a yellow colored deerskin headband around her forehead. Her face was flushed with excitement, and her eyes danced and flickered like the fire. Peter had never seen her look so beautiful, not even when she was swimming as a mermaid.

He watched as she twirled gracefully, her long red hair streaming behind her, moving like the fire. Peter noticed how much she was fire. He hair obviously, and her personality. The way her eyes danced like fire when she got angry or became passionate about something. Her very essence was fire. The fire from the sun ignited the fire within her, and changed her into something more than what she was.

Tonight was something spectacular. A full moon, and Ariel had found out that she could stay a human at night. She suspected it was due to the fact that the full moon had a higher effect and pull on her body, therefore having a stronger pull on the water in her body. The extra currents in her system kept her human; she no longer needed water for twenty-four hours.

She had snuck out of her room that night and returned to Neverland, ready to party and celebrate. Peter was glad she was back; he had missed her, even she had only been gone for a few hours.

Peter thoughts were interrupted by Ariel's face peering into his. Her face was only inches from his, and her hair had swung forward to make a curtain around them.

"Dance with me?" she asked, her blue eyes hopeful.

"Of course," he said, uncrossing his legs and lightly standing up.

They danced side by said around the fire, chanting songs about the moon's powers for the tribe, and the changing of the spirits. The two danced and jumped around, oblivious to everyone around them. Peter watched Ariel intently, and the world just seemed to slow down. His mind didn't watch her, but instead it took photographs, running them together like stop-action animation. Her white teeth that flashed when she smiled. The sparkle her blue eyes contained. The motion of her hair. The light from the fire radiating off of her skin. Her words were loud and slow in his brain, and suddenly he couldn't take the outside noise anymore.

"Come," he whispered in her ear. She grasped his hand and they silently flew away from the party.

The pair stopped when the reached a clearing in the jungle. Ariel sat down and then laid back, wriggling around in the grass to make a comfortable place for herself. Peter laid down beside her, and held her hand. They stayed like that for a while, looking up at the stars and listening to their breathing.

"You know," Ariel said, braking the silence, "After my mom died, I used to swim up to the surface at night and look at the stars. I've always found something peaceful about the way they were. Silent and unchanged for millions of years."

Peter was quiet. He decided it would be best to let Ariel talk; he knew her mother had died, but didn't want to press Ariel on how she had. He figured she would tell him when she was ready.

They were wrapped in silence for a few more minutes, but it wasn't as lazy as before. Both of them were thinking about the past.

"I killed her," Ariel whispered, once again breaking the silence. Peter looked over to see Ariel's eyes shut, tears leaking out from underneath them.

"There was a ship. And I got stuck between the rocks. She freed me and shoved me off of the rocks at the last possible moment. I still wake up screaming when I have nightmares. I can hear the sickening sound it made when she was hit."

"It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault she's gone and my father's miserable and my family is falling apart. It's my fault," Ariel said louder and louder, repeating it like a mantra.

"No," Peter said. "It's not."

Ariel stubbornly shook her head. "Yes it is," she said. "And it kills me o see the pained look in my father's eyes every day."

"My parents are dead too," Peter said. "Both of them. The earliest memory I have of them is the night of their death. My mom was putting me to bed. She was telling me a story, when all of a sudden someone burst into the room. She screamed and I started to cry. The bad man was dressed in black and my mother called out for my father, over and over again. She screamed even louder when she realized he wouldn't come. He never would be able to save us. That's when the man came towards us. He reached his hand out to my mother and said 'I always loved you Jenny. But you married Alexander. You choose him.'"

"The man spat my father's name and touched my mother's cheek. I will always remember the look on her face; the look of pure serenity, and then the overwhelming pain." Peter shuddered, his whole body convulsing.

"That's the last thing I remember before everything went black. When I awoke, I was in a dark room and started to scream. The man came in and looked at me. 'So much like you mother little one,' he said. 'But how useful you will be. You have inherited you father's powers nicely.' The man rubbed his hands together greedily as he looked at me with hungry eyes."

"The days passed in a blur. The waves tossed our ship around one night so violently, I thought I would die. Then all of a sudden their was an ear splitting crack, and for the second time, everything went black."

"I awoke to a bright light. When I looked up, I saw three beautiful faces above me: mermaids. They had healed me and made me well again. They told me where I was, and I started to explore. That's when I discovered my gifts," Peter said.

"What are they?" Ariel asked in amazement, absolutely enthralled with his story.

"Well, I can fly," Peter said. "Bur the most bizarre thing is that I don't age."

"Don't age?"

"I've never grown a day older since my fourteenth birthday."

"But how. . .?" Ariel asked.

"My father was something. . . different. He was a Mizzanmerio."

"Mizza-what?"

"A type of magical being. He was sort of like a pixie spirit, only in a human form. From what I can understand about him, he had powers unlike anything his kind had ever seen. He met my mother when he saved her from a monster, and they fell in love. When they had me, some of his powers were passed down to me. Magic is in my blood, Ariel."

Ariel gave a half -smile, the tear tracks on her cheeks looking like silver ribbons in the moonlight. Again, Peter was struck by her innocent beauty.

"The crazy things people do for love," Ariel said. "My mother giving her life to save me, and your mother trying to protect you from her past." Ariel started to cry again.

"Hey," Peter said, as he leaned over her. "Don't cry."

"I can't," Ariel said through a hiccuping laugh.

Without realizing what he was doing, Peter leaned in closer and kissed Ariel. She was shocked at first, but then responded by kissing him back gently. He was propped on top of her, his weight supported on his elbows.

They kissed in the soft grass, the smell of the saltwater creating a craving feeling. The moon shone down on them as the stars winked and promised to keep their kiss a secret. The waves from the shore made a distant lapping sound, and the world just seemed to go kind of still. The the full moon signified the start of something new, and the owls sang of a beginning.

And maybe, just maybe, the beginning would bring their future.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it, and that it was worth the wait. I can't make any promises about the next posting, but I swear I'm going to work my butt off to get the next chapter done. Love to all my reviewers!**

**Yours,  
****imaginethatt/Kathleen (:**


	7. Revenge

**A/N: My dearest readers, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. I feel horrible for not updating in over a MONTH! I have been so busy with school. I swear the teachers think we have no life. My volleyball season just ended, so hopefully I will have more time to write. Do not depair-I have a four day weekend coming up this week, plus a week off for Thanksgiving. I plan to write, write, write and write evn more. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, even if it is more of a filler.**

**Disclaimer: Everybody belongs to their rightful owners.**

Chapter Seven: Revenge

* * *

The wooden boards in the old ship creaked and groaned as the ship rocked among the waves. The small room was dark and stank of bad breath and alcohol. The swaying lantern dimly illuminated the circular wooden table, draped with a piece of red velvet cloth, which had seen better days. On the table lay an old map, yellowed with age and spattered with ink. The edges were held down by various objects: a compass, a rock, an empty bottle, and a candle holder to keep the map from curling back into its cylindrical shape.

A tall form was hunched over the map, his red coat slung across the back of a chair and his while ruffled shirt looked brown in the weak light. His black curls flowed freely about his face as he twirled his mustache in concentration, his eyes focused on the parchment in front of him. For hours he had been staring at that map, trying to decipher it, looking for clues and trying to see if he had missed anything.

"Where is it?" He muttered to himself. "For years, I've been searching. My patience is almost to an end. I need my revenge on Peter."

The man glanced out of the tiny window in frustration. Walking along the shore, he saw a pink blob. As his eyes adjusted to the blinding light coming off of the sand, the blur came into focus. It was a girl. A red haired girl.

Hooke concentrated on her image. Wasn't that Peter's girl? Annie or Cherryl? Carrieal? Ariel. That was it. Hooke knew she wasn't from Neverland, but she meant a lot to-

That was it. That was the key to his revenge.

"SMEE!" he yelled.

"Yes Cap'n?" the man answered, his red cap askew and his hands nervously tugging his striped blue shirt down over his tubby stomach. His glasses were perched at the end of his nose and he shoved them back up as he awaited instructions from Hooke.

"Ready the crew," Hooke ordered. "This girl may be the key to Peter's undoing."

Smee pounded up the stairs, his footsteps growing fainter and fainter. Hooke turned back to the map.

He smiled an evil little grin. "I've got you now, boy," he growled.

* * *

**For those of you who didn't already guess, Hooke was talking about where Peter's hideout was. Please tell me what you thought! And, love to all of you who read, reviewed, or favorited.**

**Love,**  
**imaginethatt/ Kathleen **


	8. Important!

**Hey everyone!**

**I feel terribly awful for not updating. I hate author's notes as chapters but I promise I will delete this soon. I just want you t now what's up. I had a chapter partially written, but I wrote it on a school computer, and when I tried to open the document up at home, it wouldn't let me. So, now I have to wait until the two week break is over to get it, finish writing it, and publish it.**

**I hope you all have a wonderful new year; I know I'm going to try and make 2011 a good year.**

**And so, to all of my dear readers and reviewers, hold on for just a little bit longer.**

**Love you all!  
imaginethatt**


End file.
